Feeler mechanism for looms



Jul 26 1927.

y E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 27. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 k 2 9 T, 1 4 an. M

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ATTdRA/EY July 26, '1927.

A. CUNNIF F FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed De0. 27. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDW'ARD A. CUNNIFF, OF WALTHAM, INTASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO DRAPERCOR- ]?OR-ATION, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

"' FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOIVIS.

Application filed December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,152.

This invention relates to filling replenishing looms, and moreparticularly to the feeler mechanism now usually employed in such loomsfor changing the operative condition of the loom on the occurrence ofsubstantial exhaustion of filling.

lThere the feeler mechanism is located at the replenisiiing side of theloom, it has heretofore been proposed to employed two feeler members,one of which is fixed to a slideand the other of which is pivotallymounted thereon, and in such cases the fixed feeler member has been solocated with respect to the filling carrier and the filling thereon thatit would engage the filling on each detecting beat and sink into thefilling to permit the pivoted feeler member to enthe filling and be heldfrom pivotal movement thereby on each detecting beat until substantialexhaustion thereof. In such cases the fixed feelermember has beenlocated nearer the tip of the bobbin than the pivoted feeler member,with the result that the recurring contacts of the fixed feeler memberwith the filling has resulted in in ury to the filling. This isparticularly observable where the filling'is of fine count or in theform of silk or artificial sill: or the like, and the marks left uponthe filling by the fixed feeler member have been the cause of producinga. different surface to the fabric when the yarn which has been engagedby the fixed feeler member has been woven into the cloth.

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to avoid thisobjectionable condition where the feeler mechanism'is mounted at the replenishing side of the loom and to provide the fixed and pivoted feelermember support-' ed by the feeler slide in such corelated relation tothe filling carrier or bobbin in the shuttle that the fixed feelermember will be held from engagement with the filling on detecting beatsby the pivoted feeler member until substantial exhaustion of filling,whereupon. the fixed feeler member will engage the filling carrierwithout having pre viously' engaged the filling, with the injuriousefiects resulting therefrom.

in ace rdance with the present invention, the fixed feeler member iscarried by the feeler slide in a position opposite to the conical windsadjacent the head or" the filling carrier, and the pivoted feeler memberis as sociated therewith nearer the tip of the filling carrier and formovement towards the tip of the carrier when the filling issubstantially exhausted. Under these conditions, only the fillingengaging end of the pivoted feeler member will contact with the fillingon each detecting heat, so that the injury heretofore resulting by thepenetration of the fixed feeler member into the filling is avoided.

, The invention and new combination of parts and novel, features thereofwill best be made clear from the following descrip tion and theaccompanying drawings of one good form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of portions of a loom at-thereplenishing side, provided with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts broken away showing the relation of.parts during detecting beats with a working supply of filling in theshuttle;

'Fig. Sis a. plan view with some of the parts broken away and othersomitted, showing more particularly the relation of the two feelermembers when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat;and

Fig. l is a view'similar to that of Fig. 3, showing the pivoted feelermember as having been displaced towards the tip of the bobbin ondetecting beat with the filling substantially exhausted.

The loom frame has mounted thereon'the stand 1 from which extends thestud 2 on whichthetransferrer 3 is mounted, it being understood thatupon operation-of the trans ferrcr, a freslrfilling carrier will betaken from a suitable hopper, as usual in this class of looms, andtransferred to the shuttle. It has not been'deemed necessary herein toshow the hopper anddetails of the mechanism for'operating thetransferrer on substantial exhaustion of filling, because such parts arenow well known and the details thereof form no essentia part of the present invention.

The transferrer 3 is normally under the influence of a spring 5 servingto hold it in its upper or inoperative position, and extendingdownwardly from the transferrer is the arm 6 to which may be pivoted at7 theusual Lil dog 8 adapted to be engaged by a bunter 9 on the lay 10upon indication of substantial exhaustion of filling, to thereby operatethe transferrer and effect the transfer of a fresh filling carrier tothe shuttle. Tie lay 10 has the usual opening 11 for the passage of thedischarged filling carrier, and the shuttle 12 is similarly providedwith an opening 13 for like purpose. The shuttle, also, is provided withthe usual bobbin holdin jaws 14: for the support of the filling carrieror bobbin 15, and the front wall of the shuttle has an opening 16 whichregisters with a similar opening in the front wall of the shuttle boxwhen the shuttle is properly positioned in the replenishing box. Theseparts, also, may be of usual construction as now well understood in theart. 7

Mounted upon the loom frame or a bracket secured thereto is the feelerstand 1'7, shown in the present instance as being secured in place by abolt 18 and adjustable at its rear end portion by an adjusting bolt 19acting in opposition to the spring 20; These parts may likewise be ofusual construction.

Mounted on the loom frame at the replenishing side and adjacent thefeeler stand is a bracket 21 having a slot 22 in which the actuator ismovable, and the actuator 23 is pivotally supported at 24 by a movablemember, as usual in this class of machines, to call for replenishment offilling when the actuator movement is arrested, but since the details ofthis mechanism form'no essential partof the present invention, furtherdescription thereof appears unnecessary, the essentials being that-whenthe actuator 23 is arrested on a detecting beat, as will herein afterappear, replenishment of filling is ini tiated. li'founted in suitablebearings 25 and 26 is the shaft 27 having the upwardly extending .arm 28secured thereto and connected with a rod 29, the rear end portion ofwhich adapted to project across the opening 22 in the bracket 21 in thepath of the actuator when detection of substantial exhaustion of fillingis made, as will later appear, and the shaft 2? is normally under theinfluence of a spring 30 which projects the rod 29 nornially into itsrearward position in the path of the actuator.

lvlounted upon the feeler stand 17 is the feeler slide 31 normally underthe influence of a spring 32 for yieldingly forcing the sliderearwardly. The spring 32 is shown as coiled about the rod 33 and bearsatits rear end upon the projection 34: extending from the feeler slide,while its front end portion rests against the front wall of the feelerstand, as at 35, or, it may be, against the front end of the coveringcap 36, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. To limit the rearward movement ofthe slide 31 a suitable.

stop is provided which, in the present in stance, consists of a shoulder37 adapted to be engaged by a projection 38 extending from the slide.The cap or cover 36 may be secured to the feeler stand by suitablescrews or bolts 39.

Carried by the feeler slide 31 is the fixed feeler member 4:0, therearwardly extending end ll of which is positioned opposite theconicalwinds 422 on the filling carrier or bobbin adjacent the headportion thereof, and, as indicated in Fig. 2, such conical winds offillingare of increasing diameter from the head portion of the bobbin orfilling carrier to the point where they merge into the regular wind.

Pivotally mounted on the feeler slide 31 at the point a3 is the pivotedfeeler member 44-, which, as shown, has an ar ii 45 extending laterallyof the slide 31 and is connected at 4:6 to a rod 47, the front endportion of which pivotally connected at as to the arm as, s cured to andrising from the shaft 27, the result being that the pivoted feelermember is normally under the influence of the spring 30 tending to swingthe pivoted feeler member on its pivotal connection with the feelerslide and limited in such tendency by engage ment of the end of the rod29 with the rear wall of the slot 22 in the bracket 21.

The pivoted feeler a l has the extended toothed feeling end 50, asindicated more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4t, and such toothed end in yj'ireferably be formed of fibroid or other material non-injurious to thefilling, and since the rear end of the pivoted feeler is of considerablelength, the recurring contacts of the filling with the pivoted feelerwill not injuriously affect the filling, as would the end of the fixedfeeler by penetration there-of.

As indicated, the end ll of the fixed feeler member i0 is extendedrearwardly beyond the end of the pivoted feeler member, but since thefixed feeler member is supported by the feeler slide opposite theconical winds at the base of the filling carrier or bobbin, the end ofthe fixed feeler member will not contact with the filling duringdetecting beats with working supply of filling in the shuttle, whereas,the end of the pivoted feeler member will engage the filling and effectfrontward moven'ient of the slide on eachdetecting beat untilsubstantial exhaustion of filling, whereupon, the end of the fixedfeeler member at) will engage the filling carrier or bobbin and effectfrontward movement of the slide with-out engagement of the end of thepivoted feeler member with the filling carrier or bobbin, therebyfreeing the pivoted feeler member for its swinging movement towards thetip of the bobbin.

As the feeler slide is moved frontwardly by the fixed feeler member ll)when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, asindicated in Figs. 3 and l, the

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spring 30 will act through the rod 47 to swing the pivoted feeler memberand cause the rod 29 to be interposed into the path of the actuator 23,to thereby call for replenishment of filling.

During normal weaving operations with a working supply of filling in theshuttle, the filling will be engaged by the end of the pivoted feelermember and be held from swinging movement by such engagement during thebeatup movement of the lay, while the fixed feeler member will notengage the filling or filling carrier. Under these conditions, as thepivoted feeler member thus moves the feeler slide frontwardly, the rod29 will be withdrawn from the path of the actuator 23 and the loom willcontinue to operate without replenishment. lVhen, however, the fillinghas become substantially exhausted, as indicated in Figs. 3 and'el, theend of the fixed feeler member will engage the filling carrier, thusrelieving the pivoted feeler member from engagement therewith andreplenishmentwill be called as hereinbefore described.

lVhere the feeler mechanism is located at the replenishing side of theloom, it is necessary to withdraw the feelers from the shuttle duringreplenishment, in order that a fresh filling carrier may be transferredto the shuttle, and to this end the pin connecting the arm 6 of thetransferrer and the dog 8 is extended laterally, as indicated moreclearly in Figs. 3 and 4;, and when the transferrer is operated, the pin7 will engage the projection 51 connected to the feeler slide 31 tothereby withdraw the feelers frontwardly out of the shuttle.

It may be desirable at times to adjust the pivotal connection of the armi7 with the pivoted feeler 44, and as one means of thus effecting theadjustment, the laterally extending arm 45 of the feeler is providedwith two or more holes 52 which may be engaged by the connection 46 ascircumstances dictate.

From the construction described it will be apparent that the fixedfeeler member does not engage the filling or filling carrier ondetecting beats when a working supply of filling is in the shuttle, andonly engages the filling carrier when the filling is substantiallyexhausted, thereby obviating any injury to the filling during theweaving operation, even though the filling be of fine count, silk, orrayon, or the like.

Inasmuch as the diameter of filling carriers may vary and consequentlythe frontward movement of the slide by the fixed feeler member bealtered, the rod d7 connecting the pivoted feeler with the shaft 27,which has a predetermined rotative movement by the rod 29 striking therear wall of the slot 22 in the stand 21, should be capable of alengthwise spring action, and this is effected in the present instanceof the invention by the bend 53 formed in the rod 47.

What is claimed is:

1. In a filling replenishing loom, the coin bination of a feeler standsupported from the loom frame at the replenishing side thereof, a feelerslide mounted on the feeler stand, a pivoted feeler member mounted onthe feeler slide for side slipping movement towards the tip of thefilling carrier and held from such movement by engagement with thefilling on each detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, afixed feeler member carried by the feeler slide and extending rearwardlybeyond the end of the pivoted feeler member opposite the conical windsof filling and held from engagement with the filling 011 detecting beatsby the pivoted feeler member until substantial exhaustion of filling andthereupon adapted to be engaged by a surface within the shuttle on adetecting beat, means controlled by the pivoted feeler member forinitiating replenishment of filling and means for withdrawing thefeelers frontwardly on replenishment of filling.

2. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a feeler slidemounted at the replenishing side of the loom, a pivoted feeler membermounted on the slide for swinging movement towards the tip of thefilling carrier and held from such movement by engagen'ient with thefilling on each detecting beat until substantial exhaust-ion thereof, afixed feeler member carried by the slide and having its end extendedrearwardly beyond the end of the pivoted feeler member opposite theconical winds of filling adjacent the head of the filling carrier andheld from engagement with the filling on detecting beats by the pivotedfeeler member until the occurrence of substantial exhaustion of fillingand thereupon adapted to engage the filling carrier, means controlled bythe pivoted feeler member to initiate replenishment of filling, andmeans for withdrawing the feeler members frontwardly duringreplenishment of filling.

3. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a shuttle equippedwith a filling carrier having its barrel provided with conical winds offilling enlarging in diameter from the head of the filling carrier, afeeler slide mounted at the replenishing side of the loom, a pivotedfeeler member mounted on the slide for swinging movement towards the tipof the filling carrier and held from such movement by engagement withthe filling on each detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof,a fixed feeler member carried by the slide in position opposite theconical winds adjacent the head of the filling carrier and held fromengagement with the filling and filling carrier on detecting beats bythe pivoted feeler memher until the'oecurrence of substantial exhaustionof filling, means controlled by the pivoted feeler member for initiatingreplenishment ot filling, and means for withdrawing the teeler membersfrontwardly during replenishment of filling.

4:. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a shuttleequipped with a filling carrier having its barrel provided with conicalwinds of filling enlarging in cliameter from the head of the fillingcarrier, a feeler slide mounted at the replenishing side of the loom, apivoted feeler member mounted on the slide for swinging move ment to 'ads the tip of the'filling carrier and held front. such moven'ient byengagement with the filling on each dcteotii'ie; beat until substantialexhaustion thereo t, a fixed ieeler member carried by the slide with itsrear end extended beyond the filling engaging end of the pivoted teelerin position op posite the conical winds adjacent the head of the fillingcarrier and held from engage ment with the filling and filling carrieron detecting beats by the pivoted 'teeler member until the occurrence ofsubstantial ex haustion of filling, means controlled by the pivotedteeler member for initiating replenishment 0t filling, and means forwithdrawingthe feeler members irontwardly during .eplenislnnent 0tfilling.

5. In a filling replenishing loom. the ?o*=.nbination of shuttleequipped with a filling carrier having conical winds ot fillingenlarging in diameter from the head of the filling carrier, a teelerstand having a teeler slide, a pivoted iteeler member mounted on theslide to swing towards the tip of the filling carrier and held fromsuchmovement by engagen'ient with the filling oneach detecting beatuntil substantial exhaustion thereof, a fined :leeler member fixed tothe slide in position opposite the conical wincs of filling adjacent thehead oi the filling carrier and held from eng g-ement with the fillingand filling carrier on detecting beats by the pivoted teeler memberuntil the occurrence of substantial exhaustion of filling and thereuponengaging the filling carrier, and means controlled by the pivotedtifeele member for efi'eeting replenishment of filling on detection ofsubstantial exhaustion thereof.

6. In a filling; replenishing loom, the combination of a shuttleequipped with a filling carrier having; conical winds offillingenlarging in diamoter from the head of the filling carrier, atfeeler stand having a teeler slide, a pivoted teeler member mounted onthe slide to swing towards the tip of the filling carrier and held fromsuch movement by engagement with the filling on each do tecting beatuntil substantial exhaustion thereof, a spring tending to swi thepivoted teeler on the slide as it is moved frontwardly, a fixed teelermember fixed to the slide in position opposite the conical winds offilling adjacent the head ot the filling carrier and held fromengagement with the filling and filling carrier on detecting beats bythe pivoted teeler member until the occurrence of substantial exhaustionof filling and thereupon engaging the filling 'i'ierv and meanscontrolled by the pivoted eelnr member for effecting replenishn'ient oitilling on detection of SlllJStlUltltLl exhaustion thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDVJARD A. GUN.

